On Friday, the rumors became official: Wrigley Field will play host for the MLB All-Star Game in the near future.
After a few months' worth of reports connecting the famous ivy wall to All-Star festivities, commissioner Rob Manfred announced at the ballpark that the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field would host the 2027 All-Star game. It is an exciting time for the city and especially the fans who will get to enjoy Wrigleyville throughout the All-Star week.
The social media account for the ballpark released a video celebrating the occasion shortly after Manfred's announcement.
The 2027 game will mark the fourth All-Star Game the Cubs have hosted, with the three previous occasions coming in 1947, 1962 and 1990. Chicago's game will come on the heels of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia hosting the 2026 All-Star Game.
Fans and players both have much to look forward to in 2027, as one of MLB's most historic ballparks plays host to All-Star festivities.
John Textor, dono da SAF do Botafogo, prestou depoimento na “‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos” na tarde desta segunda-feira (22). O empresário norte-americana também disse que o Alvinegro foi afetado. Confira algumas respostas abaixo.
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasBotafogoAssista ao vivo o depoimento de John Textor, dono do Botafogo, na ‘CPI da Manipulação de Jogos’Botafogo22/04/2024Fora de CampoJohn Textor sofre fratura em queda de skate e passa por procedimento cirúrgicoFora de Campo22/04/2024BotafogoJohn Textor, do Botafogo, será ouvido na CPI da Manipulação de Jogos e Apostas EsportivasBotafogo22/04/2024
➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo
PRETENDE VENDER O BOTAFOGO? – Com todo o respeito, essa é a pergunta mais estúpida que poderia existir. Se eu quisesse vender a minha participação (no Botafogo), eu não estaria dizendo essas coisas ruins que estão fazendo aqui (no Brasil), não estaria falando de corrupção. Eu nunca venderia um negocio dessa forma. Tenho sido o mais transparente possível. Tenho divulgado a nossa renda aqui… Nossa renda saiu de 50 milhões de dólares em 2022 e estamos com 75 milhões de dólares um ano e meio depois. Tem sido muito bom comercialmente para a gente também. Convido a todos que venham para o brasil para o programa SAF, mas em vez disso eu passo a ser processado, perseguido e denunciado. Isso não tem sido convidativo. No rádio, em 2022, as pessoas estavam me atacando, eu amo a família Botafogo, mas eu recebo um suporte imenso pelo Botafogo e pessoas de outras equipes. Acho incrível. uma lição que aprendi no Brasil, mas dizer que estou usando isso para vender a minha participação no Botafogo, isso acaba sendo incoerente e imaginativo.
MANIPULAÇÃO DE RESULTADOS – O que nós descobrimos não é nada diferente do restante do mundo, Bélgica, França, toda a Europa. A manipulação de resultados (no futebol) é uma realidade.
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– Sou dono de um clube, quero ganhar campeonatos e se eu puder provar, além de uma margem de dúvida, que 2022 foi manipulado, que 2023 foi manipulado, juntos de outras evidências de anormalidades, poderia fazer com que o Tribunal Desportivo, a polícia e esse corpo legislativo possam tomar ações.
ERROS INTENCIONAIS – Não são erros na aplicação das regras, percebi que não era uma falha de interpretação. As regras para marcar impedimento, faltas, os jogos que assisti, que afetou o Botafogo indiretamente, tratei de enxergar por uma nova perspectiva.
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PALMEIRAS 1 X 0 VASCO – Descobri que algo errado estava acontecendo em 27/8/2023 (data de Palmeiras 1×0 Vasco), o Botafogo estava com uma grande liderança de pontos, e alguma coisa ocorre naquele jogo que pretendo discutir aqui numa sessão secreta que pensei que não seria possível ocorrer numa divisão de elite do esporte. Os jogos que eu assisti, que afetaram o Botafogo indiretamente, tratei de enxergar de forma diferente, a partir daquele 27 de agosto.
TRANSPARÊNCIA NA ESCOLHA DOS ÁRBITROS – Vimos a mesma combinação de árbitro de campo e de vídeo, há uma caixa-preta da seleção de árbitros e acredito que a CBF deveria ser mais transparente sobre a forma como os árbitros são escolhidos, como certas duplas de árbitros foram escaladas juntas em mais de 20 jogos.
RELATÓRIOS DA GOOD GAME! – Só conheci as pessoas da “Good Game!” em 2023 e me confortei em conhecê-los e descobrir que eles eram capazes de detectar que a corrupção estava ocorrendo em tempo real e espero tratar disso numa seção secreta. Esse relatório (segura um documento) de 188 páginas é de apenas um jogo, acredito que poderia ser aceito pela Justiça, é muito detalhado. Estou colocando minha credibilidade à prova, vejo como estou sendo tratado, o mundo está prestando atenção às SAFs no Brasil. Estou sendo processado na Justiça, o presidente da CBF não aceitou meu pedido para me reunir com ele por mais de um ano, eu nunca acusei o Palmeiras de nenhum tipo de irregularidade. Acredito que o Palmeiras poderia ser parte e participar, já que é inocente. Meu foco não é o Palmeiras, não é ninguém. Acredito que a integridade deveria ser respeitada.
West Indies had their own struggles on a tough day in Barbados, but Australia’s next-gen batting remains a long-term gamble
Andrew McGlashan26-Jun-20253:33
Shamar Joseph: ‘One of the best deliveries I’ve bowled in my life’
Things may yet turn out alright on the night for Australia in Barbados in terms of the result – although that remains far from certain – but the opening day of the series shone a further light on the task of reshaping the top order with an eye to the future.Firstly, a qualifier: these were not comfortable batting conditions. Travis Head, who produced the most dominant innings, said that Australia had been taken by surprise with how tough they were, but Jayden Seales suggested West Indies had an inkling of what to expect after the pre-series training camp here.Still, Australia’s 22 for 3 – and a later collapse of 7 for 69 – followed on from the difficulties they had in the World Test Championship final against South Africa when they couldn’t find a way through tricky periods. West Indies had struggles of their own, but it was a reminder that the next generation of Australia batting could be a longer-term project riddled with uncertainties.Related
'Enough chances being created' – quicks could call the shots on third day in Barbados too
Seales, Shamar scythe through Australia before quicks return fire
Cummins backs Green as 'long-term' No. 3 amid Australia's batting reset
You only need to show Shamar Joseph an Australia batting line-up for him to put on a display. He had not quite hit the heights of the Gabba since that heady day (although, after his struggles in England last year, the numbers had been far from dire) but this brought back memories of Brisbane.His opening spell, and specifically the dismissal of Sam Konstas, set the tone for a well-planned West Indies bowling performance which held its nerve as Head and Usman Khawaja forged the best stand of the day, 89 runs, although it could have been better with safer catching.Konstas was beautifully set-up by Joseph, falling in a manner that has been seen before at Australia Under-19 level and in his early domestic days with the ball shaping back at him.”I think I set it up perfect towards him; a few outswingers, and then get the ball to nip back, because he’s just looking to get beaten outside off and then to nip back through the gate,” Joseph told ESPN’s , while speaking of the importance of the work he had put since the white-ball tour of the UK.Cameron Green lasted just 21 balls•Associated PressJoseph followed by giving Cameron Green a working over at No. 3, having him dropped second ball in the gully before he edged low to second slip. Ahead of the match, Pat Cummins said he saw Green as a long-term option at No. 3 but, while he’s had some tough conditions to face – firstly Kagiso Rabada at Lord’s and now another good pace attack – he will need a more convincing second innings to quieten the debate.The best of the lot, though, was saved for Beau Webster who was completely turned around by a magnificent delivery that took the top of the stumps. “That’s probably one of the best deliveries I’ve ever bowled,” Joseph said.Without Steven Smith (albeit temporarily) and Marnus Labuschagne, this batting order is without nearly 15,000 Test runs and it was something West Indies had taken note of.”We spoke about it,” Seales said. “We knew that coming into the Caribbean, pitches are a lot slower than what they were accustomed to in Australia. And especially this pitch, with the grass being how it is and the colour of the pitch, we knew that there was vulnerability within the batting line-up and more so with the pitch, so we just tried our best to exploit it.”
‘I don’t think there’s one solid way of going about things on those sort of wickets. You’ve just got to double down on your plan and your blueprint and what you play best’Travis Head
It took Australia 16 overs – and three wickets – to find the boundary, but Head defended the approach of the top order, backing each player to work out their own method.”I thought Usman applied himself really well in the partnership and batted completely different to what I did, and both were as effective as each other,” he said. “Guys will want to learn, you always want to try to adapt to the conditions the best way we can. We battled hard against a really quality attack, so on another day, you hope you get through it.””I don’t think there’s one solid way of going about things on those sort of wickets. You’ve just got to double down on your plan and your blueprint and what you play best. Naturally, I like to try and put as much pressure back on and there’s going to be times where it works and not.”Seales, who had claimed his first wicket when he removed the recalled Josh Inglis to a pull shot, was able to beat his team-mate to a five-wicket haul. He termed it the “most special” of the three he has bagged because he never quite felt at his best, but ensured Joseph took the acclaim as he left the field.”I think that’s what opened the game right up for us,” he said of Joseph’s early spell. “Blowing away the top order is the most important thing in Test cricket and then that made it a lot easier for us in the middle and in the back end of the innings.”Between them, their nine wickets left Australia needing the bowlers to keep them in the contest which, for the final 20 overs of the day, they did commendably as they so often have. But all eyes will be on that top order again come the second innings.
Antony has revealed the anguish he is suffering in the wake of being sent off at the weekend is causing him sleepless nights. The ex-Manchester United winger was given his marching orders after an acrobatic overhead kick attempt saw his boot accidentally connect with the face of a Girona player and, after a VAR review, he was shown a straight red. The sending off means he'll miss a derby date with Sevilla next time out for Betis.
Antony handed red card after VAR check
The incident occurred in stoppage time when the Brazilian attempted an overhead kick and his boot accidentally caught Girona's Joel Roca in the face. The referee initially did not stop play, but a VAR review prompted a pitchside review, after which the red card was issued for dangerous play. Antony made apologetic gestures to the home fans as he left the pitch and the club is appealing. As it stands the red card means he is suspended for Betis' upcoming derby match against Sevilla.
Speaking on social media following the game, Antony apologised to Betis fans, saying: "Very sad about the red card. All I wanted was to help my team win. A completely unintentional move … sorry to all the fans that have always supported me."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportAntony: 'I stayed at home thinking all night'
Speaking a couple of days after the event, Antony was spoken of how he's still upset about the incident: "I had no intention. That's why we’re going to try to appeal. I won the ball. When I did the (overhead) there, I didn't see it, I was looking at the ball. It was the VAR decision, the referee knows that I had no intention. It was very hard to sleep. I stayed at home thinking all night, I slept very little."
Antony is still hopeful of winning the appeal and being able to face Sevilla, he added: "Yes, of course. We have to try. I know how important this game is and I want to play it.”
New life in Spain after Manchester nightmare
Antony's career has been revitalised after a challenging spell at Man Utd. He initially joined on loan in January this year and the winger quickly rediscovered his form, becoming a key player and fan favourite. During his initial six-month loan, Antony bagged an impressive nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances, helping the team secure qualification for the Europa League and reach their first-ever European final.
He attributed his success to finding happiness and confidence in Seville, a stark contrast to his "very difficult" time in Manchester. Real Betis made the transfer permanent in September 2025 for a reported fee of £20 million ($29.1m). Since the permanent switch, he has continued his strong performance, with four goals in his first nine league games this term and has expressed immense satisfaction with his move, stating he "wakes up every day with a smile".
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Getty Images SportHigh praise from boss Pellegrini
Aside from the fantastic match stats and statements backing his love for life in Spain with Betis, Antony has also drawn praise from his manager, former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. Speaking earlier in the season, Pellegrini said: "He's matured significantly, he's working really hard in games, with and without the ball, with 40-metre runs, changes up front, getting into the box, working on recovering. And that's what has helped him to make up for some of that lack of precision.
He added: "I spoke with him before he came to Betis. He told me that he was not playing because he was not happy, but he had a lot of complaints about what he has done also. He wanted revenge, and here in Betis, I think he had it, and he did it in the way we know he can do, because it's not easy for you to play as a 100 million player. And Antony is a very good player. I am absolutely sure that this is a huge time for him here in Betis to help improve his career."
Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell has been questioned by some supporters for the work that was done during the summer transfer, with signings and the appointment of Russell Martin.
It is hard to describe the former Southampton manager’s tenure at Ibrox as anything other than disastrous after he won five matches in all competitions before being sacked last month.
The ex-Rangers centre-back did not have much joy in the dugout during his second stint at the club, as a manager rather than as a player, with 24 goals conceded in 17 matches.
On top of the clearly poor decision to bring Martin to Ibrox, Thelwell’s signings during the summer transfer window have come under some scrutiny, after the new owners provided him with plenty of money to spend.
The appointment of Martin and the work done in the summer window led to a start of one win in the first eight matches of the Scottish Premiership season for the Light Blues, which has put them on the back foot in the title race.
Danny Rohl has come in and won all four of his Premiership games in charge, to his credit, but there are still several summer signings who are yet to prove their worth.
Picking out the worst summer signings for Rangers
It would be hard to look past the most expensive signing of the summer when talking about the worst signings, as Youssef Chermiti was signed for £8m from Everton. That is the most money Rangers have paid for a player since they paid £12m to sign Tore Andre Flo in 2000.
Since that mega-money move to Ibrox, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues this season, and that goal came via some rather questionable goalkeeping, as shown in the clip below.
Chermiti is not the only centre-forward signing who has struggled this season, though, as Rangers signed Bojan Miovski for a fee of up to £4.2m and he has delivered two goals in 16 outings in all competitions, per Sofascore.
Further back on the pitch, central midfielder Joe Rothwell has been a disappointment since his permanent move from Bournemouth. The 30-year-old talent was brought in to offer experience and quality in the middle of the park, but he has failed to make a positive impact.
Tackles
7
Bottom 27%
Interceptions
8
Top 29%
Duels won
16
Bottom 26%
Duel success rate
47%
Bottom 39%
Aerial duels won
4
Bottom 25%
Possession won in the final third
1
Bottom 19%
Ball recoveries
22
Bottom 36%
As you can see in the table above, the English flop ranks poorly among his positional peers in the Premiership in a host of key defensive metrics, whilst playing as a number six for the Light Blues.
Thelo Aasgaard, who was signed from Luton Town, is another summer signing who has failed to deliver, with one goal and one assist in 19 appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore, which shows that the attacking midfielder has been ineffective at the top end of the pitch.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Whilst there are understandable question marks over all of the summer signings mentioned so far, there is a player signed by Thelwell who impressed against Livingston, and may be on his way to becoming the new Calvin Bassey at Ibrox.
After signing from Leicester in 2020, the Nigeria international only played eight Premiership games in his first season. In the 2021/22 campaign, the versatile defender featured in just three of the first nine league games under Steven Gerrard, per Transfermarkt.
The left-footed star then became a regular in the side when Giovanni van Bronckhorst took over in October and went on to play 50 games in all competitions before sealing a £19.6m move to Ajax in the summer of 2021.
Now, central defender Emmanuel Fernandez could follow a similar path to success at Ibrox after he produced an impressive display against Livingston on Saturday.
Why Emmanuel Fernandez may be the next Calvin Bassey for Rangers
As was the case with Bassey under Gerrard, the summer signing from Peterborough rarely got an opportunity to showcase what he could do on the pitch during Martin’s time at the club.
Per Transfermarkt, Fernandez featured in one of Martin’s seven league matches in charge of the Light Blues and was an unused substitute in all six of the Champions League qualifiers.
The 24-year-old centre-back only started in a 1-1 draw with St Mirren in the Premiership and a 4-2 win over Alloa Athletic in the League Cup, scoring his first goal for the club in the latter appearance.
Fernandez finally got his first start in the league of the Rohl era against Livingston on Saturday and did not disappoint. On top of scoring the opening goal in the match, making it two goals in three starts for the club, he won eight of his 13 duels and was not dribbled past a single time, per Sofascore.
After the win over Livingston, one Rangers podcaster described him as a “massive” player who “makes a difference” at both ends of the pitch because of his imposing physique.
Tackles made
0.99
Bottom 26%
Duels won
10.44
Top 1%
Duel success rate
72.4%
Top 5%
Aerial duels won
6.96
Top 1%
Aerial duel success rate
87.5%
Top 1%
Interceptions
2.49
Top 5%
Shots blocked
0.99
Top 31%
As you can see in the table above, Fernandez is one of the most dominant and impressive central defenders in the Premiership if you compare his two starts in the league to his positional peers on a per 90 basis.
These statistics suggest that the English defender deserves more chances to start and showcase his quality, which he may well get with John Souttar and Derek Cornelius both missing through injury at the moment.
If he continues to start and produce the level of performance that he has in his first two outings in the division, Fernandez could go on to be a defensive monster for Rohl and anchor the team for the foreseeable future.
Like Bassey, Rangers may look back in the future and wonder why he did not play more regularly earlier in the season, because the towering star looks like he has been a hidden gem at Ibrox.
Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must bin "missing" Rangers flop after Livi
Rangers did claim another league win over Livingston on Saturday, but one player went “missing” at Ibrox, registering fewer touches than Jack Butland.
Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat against PSG in the Champions League last night was the second time in a matter of months in which Thomas Frank’s men have been bettered by the French side.
The UEFA Super Cup final back in August was the Dane’s first competitive match in charge of the Lilywhites, but he was unable to get one over Luis Enrique’s side.
Such a result once again appeared at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night, with the host’s 5-3 win inflicting the club’s first loss of the current European campaign.
Both fixtures could have fallen in Spurs’ favour, especially after taking the lead in both contests, but ultimately the defensive frailties have cost Frank’s men in each of the meetings.
The inability to keep one player out in Paris last night ultimately contributed to their downfall, with one opposition star constantly tormenting Frank’s men in the defeat.
Vitinha’s stats against Spurs in the Champions League
PSG’s success in the Champions League last season was no doubt down to the quality side Enrique has built over recent years, with Vitinha central to the Parisians’ European triumph.
The Portuguese international has continued his phenomenal form in the current campaign, as seen by his performance against Spurs on Wednesday night.
He featured for the entirety of the contest at the Parc des Princes, scoring a hat-trick during the triumph – achieving such a feat for the first time in his professional career.
The 25-year-old’s first strike was undoubtedly the pick of the bunch, with the midfielder firing Quentin Ndjantou’s perfectly weighted pass into the top corner via the crossbar.
His underlying stats from the contest also reflect his impressive display, with Vitinha completing 87 passes – the most of any player – whilst also completing 100% of his attempted dribbles.
Such a performance led to Spurs boss Frank heaping huge praise on the midfielder, labelling him as the “best midfielder in the world” and that he’ll be the “next Ballon d’Or winner”.
The Spurs star who could be Frank’s answer to Vitinha
After the North London Derby defeat against Arsenal, it was imperative that manager Frank switched up his midfield department for the Champions League clash.
The Dane started with a two-man pivot of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur at the Emirates, with such a partnership far too negative – which no doubt contributed to the 4-1 hammering.
For the defeat against PSG, the 52-year-old opted for a younger base of the side, with Pape Sarr and Lucas Bergvall just two of the youngsters who featured in the middle of the park.
The duo were unable to produce a winning display, but they did offer a reason to be positive despite falling to a third consecutive defeat under Frank’s guidance.
However, the shining light in the middle of the park was certainly Archie Gray, with the 19-year-old taking full advantage of the rare start handed his direction.
The Englishman joined in a £40m deal from Leeds United last summer but has often had to bide his time for a regular run of first-team appearances since Frank’s arrival.
Yesterday was just his fourth start of the 2025/26 campaign, but he did manage to thrive, even against the defending European champions last night.
Gray featured for 76 minutes before being withdrawn, even linking up excellently with Bergavll in the first half as the Lilywhites took a one-goal lead.
He also won 100% of the tackles he attempted, whilst making two clearances and two recoveries – in what was an exceptional defensive performance at the Parc des Princes.
Minutes played
76
Touches
20
Passes completed
7
Passes into final third
2
Tackles won
100%
Clearances made
2
Recoveries made
2
Aerials won
100%
Other stats, such as 100% aerials won and two passes into the final third, also showcase his all-round quality – backing up Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s a “future £100m” star.
However, if he is to reach such levels and become the club’s very own Vitinha, it’s crucial that Frank hands him the needed game time to help him continue his development.
The player will no doubt be immensely proud of such a showing in Paris, with his efforts no doubt giving the manager a selection headache against Fulham this weekend.
As bad as Romero: Frank must instantly drop 5/10 Spurs flop after PSG
Thomas Frank will have some huge calls to make on some players after Tottenham Hotspur’s latest defeat.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl should be relatively pleased with his start to life in the dugout at Ibrox, with four wins out of four in the Scottish Premiership so far.
The Light Blues beat Livingston 2-1 at Ibrox in a controversial clash in their first game back after the international break, as no penalty was awarded for handball against Emmanuel Fernandez, who also scored the opening goal in the match.
Rangers got the job done, though, and claimed all three points thanks to a second-half strike from Mohamed Diomande, who tapped into an empty net at the back post.
The Ivorian central midfielder had an open goal in front of him because Bojan Miovski made a brilliant run over the top and poked the ball to Diomande as the goalkeeper came out to meet him.
It was a moment of real quality from the Macedonia international to help clinch all three points for the Scottish giants on Saturday, after what has been a difficult start to the campaign.
The Light Blues bolstered their attacking ranks with the £8m signing of Youssef Chermiti and the £4.2m signing of Miovski in the summer, and supporters may need to be patient with both of them.
Why Rangers fans need to be patient with Miovski and Chermiti
Rangers splashed the cash to bring those two centre-forwards to Ibrox, particularly Chermiti, and you can understand why some supporters may not be happy with what they have produced so far this season.
Both strikers have only scored one goal so far in the Scottish Premiership under Russell Martin, Stevie Smith, and Danny Rohl combined, which shows that they have rarely provided much in the way of quality in the final third.
Appearances
9
7
Goals
1
1
Minutes per goal
551
231
Big chances created
1
0
Assists
1
1
Duel success rate
33%
39%
As you can see in the table above, Chermiti and Miovski have both failed to offer value for money in the league since their respective big-money moves from Everton and Girona in the summer.
Rangers and their supporters should still have some patience, though, because Miovski is a proven Premiership goalscorer who can offer quality if he hits his stride.
The left-footed attacker, as shown in the graphic below, was a prolific scorer during his time with Aberdeen, before his move to Spain last year, and this suggests that there is still hope that he can turn his Ibrox career around.
Chermiti does not have the same history of goalscoring, having failed to score a single first-team goal in two seasons with Everton, that Miovski behind him has to suggest that he will come good, but the Portuguese striker is only 21.
The former Toffees flop has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and signed a long-term contract at Ibrox, which is why there may need to be patience with him to allow him to flourish as a player. It is not his fault that former sporting director Kevin Thelwell spent £8m on him, and he should be given a chance to prove his worth in the years to come.
Whilst patience is needed with Miovski and Chermiti, who were both permanent additions signed to long contracts, there are some other summer signings who should not be awarded the same patience.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Nasser Djiga was brought in on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster Russell Martin’s defence, but he has been an even bigger waste of time than the two strikers.
Why Djiga has been a worse Rangers signing than Miovski and Chermiti
The Burkina Faso international is only on loan from the Premier League side until the end of the season and the club do not have an option to make the deal permanent next summer.
That means, as it stands, the central defender should only be judged on his performances in the short-term because he is not a player who the Light Blues will benefit from if he develops and improves by the end of the campaign, as he will be off down south to England again.
Therefore, on current performance levels, Djiga looks to be an even bigger waste of time than Miovski and Chermiti, because he is not delivering quality on the pitch for Rangers in the present.
Livingston
90
Dundee
8
Roma
90
Celtic
102
Hibernian
90
Kilmarnock
0
Brann
76
Dundee United
0
Falkirk
90
Sturm Graz
0
The Wolves loanee, as shown by the table above, has been in and out of the side in recent weeks and months, which has been because of his inconsistent performances.
Injuries to John Souttar and Derek Cornelius provided him with a chance to impress against Livingston, but his error for Tete Yengi’s equaliser was described as “appalling” defending by reporter Tom English, as the centre-back allowed the forward to run off the back of him to score from a long pass.
That mistake against Livingston on Saturday is far from the first one that he has made in a Rangers shirt. Four Lads Had A Dream claimed that he
“genuinely looks lost” during the 3-1 defeat to Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup earlier this month.
Djiga also got off to a poor start to life at Ibrox in August. He was sent off in a 1-1 draw with Dundee at Ibrox before making a ‘disastrous’ error at the start of the club’s Champions League play-off qualifier against Club Brugge.
These examples show that the central defender has been an unreliable performer for the Light Blues throughout the season, for both Martin and Rohl, which is why he has been a dismal signing on current evidence.
That is also why he has been an even bigger waste of time than Miovski and Chermiti, because the two strikers were permanent signings on multi-year deals and have time to turn things around, whilst Djiga was a season-long loan signing who should be making an instant impact.
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ByDan Emery Nov 23, 2025
Unless the Wolves loanee can drastically turn his form around and prove himself to be a reliable figure at the back for Rohl, he may go down as one of the worst signings of the Thelwell era, which lasted one summer.
Despite poor ODI record against opening opponents, success in T20 World Cups augurs well
Firdose Moonda01-Oct-2025Two wins from South Africa’s last eight ODIs against England does not make for pretty reading but allrounder Chloe Tryon isn’t bothered by that record.Ahead of her team’s Women’s World Cup opener in Guwahati on Friday, Tryon said those results don’t reflect the reality of a South African side that has reached two T20 World Cup finals since they last met England in the 50-over version, including a memorable semi-final victory at Newlands in 2023.”The team has changed a lot over the last couple of years,” Tryon told the media on Wednesday. “We’ve got some young players coming in and we’ve got a lot of experienced players, and everyone’s just taken up their role really beautifully. And the way that we’ve worked behind the scenes has been really good, so I’m not looking at too much of the stats.”South Africa’s World Cup squad is missing three of the players that lost 2-1 to England in their home ODI series last year. But they have five changes in personnel from the squad that beat England in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup before losing to them in the semi-final.Since then, South Africa have a new captain, a new wicket-keeper, a new pace spearhead, a new coach and most importantly, a new frame of reference, thanks to their progress in the shorter format. They’ve also got far more experience of their opposition than was the case three years ago. Tryon is one of three South Africans in this squad – Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp are the others – who are fresh off the Women’s Hundred.Though Tryon herself didn’t have a good tournament, making just 31 runs in nine matches, she benefitted from first-hand experience of her English opponents which she hopes she can use to South Africa’s advantage.”It’s a really good tournament to be part of and I obviously got to play with a couple of the England girls, which was pretty exciting,” she said. “Just watching them, how they go about their skill and how they go about their business is really good, so hopefully I can give a lot of insight to the team.”Tryon and Wolvaardt’s team-mates at Southern Brave included Lauren Bell and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, two of the “matchwinners” of which Tryon is wary, in an England side laden with superstars.”As a unit they’re just really that strong,” she said. “They’re led by one of the best all-rounders in the world (Nat Sciver-Brunt), and everyone just feeds off her. Every single one of them are matchwinners. We have to make sure that we show up with a lot of presence and we give 200%. We’ve shown that we can beat them in the past and we have, so we need to be really positive going into the first game.”Related
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South Africa have turned their 50-over fortunes around since losing eight out of 10 ODIs between June 2024 and May 2025, and have won four of their last six games. Admittedly, these came against West Indies (who are not at this tournament) and Pakistan (who had to qualify) so they need to be understood in context, but they also hinted at a succcessful adjustment to a new style under coach Mandla Mashimbyi.Mashimbyi has been in charge for nine months now, in which time the team has bought into his aggressive style of cricket. They have bulked up their middle order with Anneke Bosch, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Tryon, Nadine de Klerk and the option of Karabo Meso from No.3 to 7 or 8. “We bat really deep which is really important in a 50-over tournament like this,” Tryon said. “As a batting unit, we’ve come a lot of strides over the last couple of months, you can see that there’s a big difference in our batting and our approach in our batting department.”On flat pitches, this is expected to be a World Cup of high scores. However, South Africa’s early observations from the India-Sri Lanka match were that “it takes a little bit of turn,” as Tryon put it.Her allround abilities could be crucial to South Africa’s fortunes, but so too her experience. Tryon and Luus are both playing at their fourth World Cup, while Kapp is entering her fifth. Each has the knowledge that this could be their last, and they want to make a statement.”As a senior group we just want to lead the way for the team,” Tryon said. “We’ve got some girls that haven’t played a 50-over World Cup before, so for us, it’s making sure that we’re taking a lot of the responsibility in the middle and creating really good environments within the squad. It’s been really good so far. The way that everyone has gelled together has been so good. We’re really excited for the first game and we want to lead the way as a senior group by just making sure that we keep everyone as a tight unit.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed what he told defender Riccardo Calafiori right before his immediate impact off the bench against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Arsenal cruise to statement win over Bayern Munich
The Gunners enjoyed a night to remember in Europe on Wednesday after putting Vincent Kompany’s side to the sword over what was a phenomenal second-half display.
Heading into the game, Bayern were unbeaten in all competitions and had reigned victorious in every single game bar one, with Arsenal inflicting their first defeat of 2025/2026.
On paper, it was perhaps Arsenal’s toughest test of the season against Europe’s most in-form team, but the north Londoners still found a way to win and extend their own unbeaten run to an incredible 16 matches on the trot.
Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham
Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich
Bukayo Saka directed a corner towards the near post and Jurrien Timber glanced his header past the flapping Manuel Neuer to open the scoring, but out of nowhere Bayern conjured up an equaliser.
Joshua Kimmich pinged the ball out to former Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry, who cushioned it first time into the path of Lennart Karl. Cool as you like, the teenager – who became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer against Brugge last month – did not break stride as he crashed his first-time volley into the roof of the net.
Moments later a Kane pirouette in the area had Arsenal flustered until William Saliba hacked the ball clear at the second attempt.
After the break, Saka, Noni Madueke and Mikel Merino all threatened for the hosts before the second goal arrived in the 69th minute.
Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano gave the ball away, substitute Calafiori swung in a low cross and Madueke pounced from six yards out – scoring his first ever goal for Arsenal.
Neuer then suffered a horrible moment as he came out to deal with Eze’s long ball, only for another sub, Gabriel Martinelli, to waltz past him and finish into an empty net.
"Magnificent" – Ally McCoist hails "out of this world" Arsenal star in Bayern Munich win
He was truly exceptional on a night to remember for the Gunners.
By
Emilio Galantini
Nov 26, 2025
‘Are you Tottenham in disguise?’ and ‘Harry, what’s the score?’ were the predictable chants from the home fans as they revelled in their old foe’s misery, all while celebrating a deserved, statement win against the Bundesliga champions.
Declan Rice put on a man of the match display against Bayern, one of his best ever performances since joining the club, but Arteta’s substitutions were inspired and a key part of why they won the blockbuster clash.
Mikel Arteta reveals key Riccardo Calafiori message before Arsenal assist
Just one minute after being introduced by Arteta, left-back Calafiori, who replaced Myles Lewis-Skelly, put the ball on a plate for Madueke after darting in behind to whip in a low cross.
The Italy international played a major role in putting Arsenal back into the ascendancy, with Arteta revealing what he told Calafiori right before his game-changing assist against Bayern.
The £42 million signing from Bologna has further staked his claim as Arsenal’s undisputed number one left-back, and contributions like last night highlight exactly why Lewis-Skelly has struggled for minutes.
In the background, reports suggest that Chelsea are making a bold attempt to convince Lewis-Skelly to join them amid his lack of match action, but the Hale End sensation is determined to battle his way back into the starting eleven.
Unfortunately for him, the teenager might have a hard time doing so with Calafiori proving so instrumental for Arteta right now.
After six matches in charge, Danny Röhl is already starting to figure out which members of the Rangers squad he can trust, and which he cannot.
So far, the German has won all three Premiership matches in charge, most recently demolishing Dundee 3-0 at Dens, looking to keep that streak going when bottom of the table Livingston visit Ibrox on Saturday.
However, the Gers remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League standings, yet to pick up a single point at the mid-way mark of the league phase, and were dumped out of the League Cup semi-finals by Celtic, underlining that there is still plenty of work for Röhl to do.
Having seemingly decided that one of the Light Blues’ many summer signings is not for him, should the German head coach give a “big talent” a chance to stake a claim?
Joe Rothwell's start to life at Rangers
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell has come under serious scrutiny from supporters, given the club’s expensive but underwhelming summer recruitment, with Joe Rothwell among the least popular additions.
The 30-year-old defensive midfielder arrived from Bournemouth for around £400k to plenty of excitement, with Joe Donnohue describing him as “assured, energetic and accomplished”, while Kai Watson asserted that he would be a “very smart signing” given that he’s an “excellent passer and progresser of the ball, exactly what this Rangers midfield needs”.
However, this has certainly not been the case, with the Englishman putting in numerous sluggish and slow performances during the early weeks of the season when the team were massively struggling under Russell Martin.
During August’s 1-1 draw at St Mirren, speaking on Sky Sports commentary, Neil McCann noted that Rothwell looked completely “cooked”, while Kenny Macintyre of BBC Sportsound agreed, exclaiming that “Joe Rothwell… has looked knackered in every game”.
Well, even at this early stage of his tenure, Röhl has seemingly been unimpressed, with Rothwell starting the German’s first match in charge, the 3-0 drubbing in Bergen, but not doing so again since, an unused substitute for all three Premiership matches, as well as the most recent Europa League game against Roma.
So, with Rothwell not in Röhl’s plans, Mohamed Diomandé alongside Nicolas Raskin is the first-choice midfield pairing, which is strong, but that duo cannot play every minute of every game, so should the new manager give his “big talent” an opportunity?
Rangers youngster who deserves more opportunities
A young player Rangers supporters were excited about not so long ago is Bailey Rice, but he might as well be added to Interpol’s missing persons list this season.
After jumping ship from Motherwell’s academy, he made his senior debut at Almondvale against Livingston in February 2023, thereby becoming the second-youngest player to feature for Rangers post-World War II.
Rangers players to debut at 16 (1945-present)
Players
Year
Derek Ferguson
1983
Bailey Rice
2023
Tom Walsh
2012
Paul Nsio
2022
Zak Lovelace
2022
Alfie Conn
1968
Archie Stevens
2022
John Fleck
2008
Leon King
2020
Derek Johnstone
1970
Danny Stoney
2013
Alex O’Hara
1973
Info courtesy of Transfermarkt
As the table documents, only Derek Ferguson, against Queen of the South in 1983, debuted for Rangers at a younger age but, at the age of 16 years and 137 days, Rice is the youngest player to feature for the club in a league match.
After arriving on the scene, the teenager started to see regular minutes under Philippe Clement and then Barry Ferguson during the second half of last season, introduced at half time against Manchester United at Old Trafford, before starting the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, albeit his big night was curtailed early due to a nasty head injury sustained during a collision with striker Maroan Sannadi.
At that point, he was earning rave reviews, with former Rangers right-back Alan Hutton, speaking on Premier Sports, stating that the youngster was “more than capable” of establishing himself in the first team, adding that he’s “ready for the next step”.
However, this season, since starting a League Cup tie against third-tier Alloa Athletic in August, hooked at half time, Rice has not been seen, an unused substitute for all four Europa League matches, with 12-man benches allowed by UEFA, but yet to feature in a Premiership matchday squad.
The Rangers Journal believe that Rice’s contractual situation is to blame, given that he will be a free agent next summer, hence why the club don’t want to invest time into him, but this isn’t going to convince him to sign a new contract, thereby leaving the player at a crossroads.
Thus, it appears as though the teenager will depart Ibrox next June, but there is still time to salvage his Rangers career, if Röhl is able to prove there is a pathway for him into the first time.
With senior defensive midfield options continuing to fail to impress, namely Rothwell, Rice certainly deserves an opportunity to showcase his obvious talent, bringing to an end this stand-off that is not benefiting anyone.
Well, Blair Malloy has reported on Friday that Rice is currently injured, so his return will have to wait a little while, but he should be seen donning a light blue jersey again soon.
Thelwell can upgrade on Souttar by signing £8m defender for Rangers
With Danny Röhl in need of defensive reinforcements, could Rangers sign an “aggressive” £8m-valued star better than John Souttar and Nasser Djiga?